After a storied 18-year career, the assists machine known as Jason Kidd has retired.
REUTERS
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Kidd began professional play with the Mavericks, tallying 11.7 points, 7.7 assists and 5.4 rebounds per game, on his way to sharing the NBA Rookie of the Year honors with, fittingly, Grant Hill, who announced his retirement Saturday.
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Seen here schooling Chris Childs, Kidd moved on to Phoenix after a midseason trade during the 1996-97 season. Kidd led the league in assists three straight seasons with the Suns before a blockbuster trade for Stephon Marbury sent him to the Nets.
New York Post
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Kidd, flanked by former Nets coach Byron Scott, would turn around the forgotten New Jersey franchise. In his first year with the new-look, upstart, little-brother club, the point guard finished second in MVP voting, and he led New Jersey to its first ever NBA Finals appearance.
New York Post
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Aided by the play of Richard Jefferson, Kenyon Martin and crew, Kidd again took a solid but not great roster to a finals appearance. The Tim-Duncan led Spurs (heard of them?) grabbed the title in six games.
New York Post
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Kidd’s on-court play was overshadowed at times by his troubled marriage. Joumana Kidd, pictured, alleged that her husband committed “years of physical abuse” and frequent adultery. Jason filed for divorce in 2007, citing “extreme cruelty” throughout the marriage.
Christopher Sadowski
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Back on the court, Kidd thrived seemingly wherever he played. Though he sat out the 2004 Olympic Games because of an injury, he led the 2000 squad in assists and was a key contributor to the undefeated 2008 “Redeem Team.”
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In 2008, after a wildly successful run that could never quite culminate with a championship, Kidd was reunited with the Mavericks in return for, among others, Devin Harris. With Dallas again, Kidd reinvented himself; though still dishing assists through minute holes in defenses, Kidd became one of the great 3-point shooters of the league. Kidd would finally get his coveted championship in 2011.
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2012 saw a free-agent Kidd come to New York to team with Melo and Co. The 40-year-old offered a steady influence to a team trying to find itself. The Knicks fell to the Pacers in six games.
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His no-look passes became a highlight reel unto themselves.
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Kidd twice won the Joe Dumars trophy, which goes to the player “who exemplifies the ideals of sportsmanship on the court — ethical behavior, fair play and integrity.”
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Kidd ends his career second on the all-time steals list with 2,684. He trails only John Stockton.
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Though just 6-foot-4, Kidd’s final tally for blocks sits at 450.
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5/7/13 NBA Playoffs Game 2, Indiana Pacers vs. New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden – New York Knicks point guard Jason Kidd #5 tries to steal the ball from Indiana Pacers point guard D.J. Augustin #14 as New York Knicks point guard Pablo Prigioni #9 looks on in the 4th quarter.
Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post
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The future Hall-of-Famer averaged 6 points, 4.3 rebounds and 3.3 assists in his final season.
AP
